


Escaping the Mask

by Aquatic_Batt



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Ghosts, Paranormal, fnaf au, heres some fic a friend gave me an idea for, hope yall enjoy though!, how do I tag characters that are added just for the plot's sake, its gonna be a lot longer than i was expecting oops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25360789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aquatic_Batt/pseuds/Aquatic_Batt
Summary: Glitchtrap is an entity William uses to communicate with his followers. However, he has recently branched off into having a mind of his own, and has taken a liking to one of the followers: Vanny. Lately, however, something has felt very off about her mannerisms, and he worries for her mental state.At the same time, a woman who goes by the name Hazel has started a new job at the Glamrock Mall. What started out as an ordinary night shift has turned into a fiasco when the animatronics come alive in the moonlight. Things only get more morbid when she discovers a document containing the history of the notorious Freddy's Fazbear's Pizzeria. When she brings it up to her coworkers, they seem to know more than they let on.(note: Hazel is what I will be calling my interpretation of the new night guard from Scott’s teaser)heavily inspired by some convos I've had w my buddy Cam (https://archiveofourown.org/users/delta_aero), I love u man and I gotta give credit where it's due and you've been a HUGE help!alternative title: SAVING OUR CULTIST GF (Gone wrong??) {ILLEGAL????????????} (thanks Kira lmao)
Relationships: Glitchtrap/Reluctant Follower (Five Nights at Freddy's), Night Guard (Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach)/Reluctant Follower (Five Nights at Freddy's), Reluctant Follower/Security Girl (Five Nights at Freddy's)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 51





	1. so theres this girl and uhm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [delta_aero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/delta_aero/gifts).



> ahh I hope you guys like this fic, I apologize if its poorly written because I'm struggling to write it for some reason but yeah!! I hope this goes well. MASSIVE thanks to my pal Cam (https://archiveofourown.org/users/delta_aero) who gave me this idea and has been helping me through writing it. if you're reading this vro, hi! thank you lots my dude, I love you and I sincerely enjoy your help! I hope I can give your idea justice lmao

Few empty chairs and tables were scattered through the room, far more vacant than it once was. In the dark, the only light source was the flickering pale green of the Prize Corner, dimming in its old age. A faint rotting stench filled the air, but one could get used to it after only moments of inhaling it. Or, perhaps that’s what some may try to tell themselves.

A sudden creaking sound took over the silence as the old door opened. What entered through it was quite a sight: a white rabbit with mix matched patches across her fur, wielding a knife stained with both fresh and old blood. She had quite a tired stance, as if what may have painted her weapon of choice gave her quite a fight. 

As she approached one of the tables, she set the knife down with a shaky paw. Carefully, she sat down, as though she may fall. Her paws fell onto the sides of her head, and with a little effort, it popped off, only to reveal a second, more human head. Rainbow streaks created rivers of color in her hair, the only light in the woman’s looks.

As her eyes trailed to the stage behind her, he could see that there was no excitement left in them. There was no bright glow as there had been for weeks now; instead remained a dead stare, clouded by whatever plagued her mind. 

Behind the curtains stood Glitchtrap, watching her movements carefully. He almost locked eyes with her, but her gaze was too quick. Dead eyes landed on the table, lifelessly trailing the wooden streaks. 

Something felt very, very wrong. 

**_That’s nothing for you to worry about_ ** _ ,  _ boomed the voice in his head.  **_Your only job here is to let me communicate with her, remember that._ **

_ You’re right, Mr. Afton,  _ Glitchtrap thought in response.  _ I apologize.  _

And yet, he still couldn’t rid himself of the dread he felt. William’s words could not erase his worry. 

The old ghost, soul sewn into his fabric, walked the bunny forward, approaching the woman. As he stepped off stage, she flinched, as if only now remembering she was not alone. Panic flashed in her face for a moment, quickly replaced by a friendly smile. 

“Forgot your were here, Mr. Afton. You almost gave me a heart attack!” 

She chuckled, then sat up straight, preparing herself for this discussion. Her smile quickly faded into a blank stare, watching him approach. 

Despite her stature, Glitchtrap couldn’t help but notice how her body seemed to shiver, as if a chill had cursed the room. Her stature was rigid, like she were forcing herself to look ready before him. 

_ Did something go wrong? _ he thought to himself.  _ Why does she look so disturbed? And why is she putting up such an effort to hide it? Is she alright? _

**_We have more pressing matters to deal with than the girl’s mental health_ ** _ ,  _ Afton rang in his ears, diverting his mind quickly. 

William piloted Glithctrap’s body to sit him down across from the girl. She watched him with a patient face, but through regretful eyes. 

“Vanessa, my dear,” Glitchtrap could feel William’s voice tremble through his body as he spoke, “it’s good to see you. How did today go, hm?” 

The pain was apparent in Vanny’s face as she glanced at the knife on the table for a moment before looking back at him. Although, it disappeared just as soon as it showed as she met his eyes. 

“Well enough. The child has been successfully freed. I can picture his smile now as he dances with the others.” 

A smile twisted its way across her lips; it was strained, as if one’s fingers had to guide it rather than letting it form freely. 

“Excellent work, my dear. Remember, what you are doing is for the best, and I know these children can understand that what you are doing will benefit them. I’m proud of you.” 

Vanny’s grin grew, showing teeth in its effort. Although it was an attempt to be genuine, Glitchtrap could tell it had become less sincere. 

“Well,” William continued in a more serious tone, “now it’s time I gave you your next assignment.”

William’s voice became a low hum in Glitchtrap’s mind as he continued to examine Vanny. She stared at him so calmly, yet he could sense that something was broken beneath the surface. Her eyes had seemed more sunken in, more tired than he’d ever seen her. Had something gone wrong in her recent assignment? Did it result in her getting injured? There were no signs of injury. At least, not physically. 

“ **I expect he will be in again soon** .”

William’s voice banged in his head like a hammer, causing his body to twitch as the sudden noise. Vanny flinched backwards, a hand flying towards the knife in defense. Glitchtrap felt a sharp pang at her fear towards him. 

_ Please don’t think I would ever harm you! _

But thinking this now was useless. He knew the sudden volume was meant to shut him down anyways, so he might as well keep to himself and let it happen. 

William reached Glitchtrap’s paw to grasp a folder that had been sitting in the center of the table. He quickly flipped through it, landing on a photo of a boy who looked to be about ten. He swiftly removed the photograph and handed it to Vanny, who almost seemed hesitant to take it. 

Glitchtrap tried to read her expression as she examined the picture, but, for the first time tonight, all she showed was a deadpan stare. After a moment, she looked back up at him, nodding once in agreement. 

“I’ll handle it as soon as I can, Mr. Afton.”

“I trust that you will, my dear.” 

And with that, William stood Glitchtrap up, guiding him back to the stage. As the curtain fell behind, William’s voice rang in Glitchtrap’s head. 

**_You needn’t worry about the girl, Malhare. She will do just fine. And remember, you are not to interfere with the process—you are no more than a vessel, here to help me communicate and nothing else. Understood?_ **

A familiar feeling of shame washed over Glitchtrap as William spoke. He had no reason to change the process at all. William was right—he was here to serve, nothing more, nothing less. Still… was he wrong to worry about Vanny’s well-being? 

_ My apologies, Mr. Afton. I’ll only stick to what you tell me.  _

He wasn’t entirely sure. 


	2. this just in: Glitchtrap is terrible at talking to girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Usually the mornings in the Glamrock Mall are quiet and lonely. This morning in particular, however, Glitchtrap gets a visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW this chapter is a lot longer than the first. chapters are prolly gonna come out inconsistently bc there are ideas for this fic that I keep backtracking on but it would prolly be random anyways so yeah. I hope you guys like it, and I'm sorry if it's poorly written! I'm not the most experienced writer lmao

Two weeks had passed. 

Two weeks had passed, and she was only getting worse. 

Glitchtrap tried his best to follow William and to not think outside of his realm, but it was so hard when every night that Vanny came in, she looked more distressed than before. 

The other night, she had stumbled to get into the room. She practically tore off her mask, as if she couldn’t breathe. He worried that something was bothering her each night—perhaps the children fought back, denying her safety. Maybe she was seriously hurt, but he couldn’t see because of the costume? Or could it be something else? She certainly wasn’t looking too well. 

And yet, William never questioned it. So, maybe things weren’t that bad. 

Maybe he was just overreacting.

The room was quiet, as usual. He couldn’t tell what time it was—he was sure it had to be morning, though. The birds made lovely chatter outside. Their songs made the silence the not-so-complete silence. 

That was the only sound, other than that of a door suddenly creaking open. 

But it wasn’t opening time yet, was it? The establishment normally opened up later in the morning. 

Perhaps it was a manager, or a higher up employee, taking care of some business before they opened their doors. 

Glitchtrap stepped towards the curtain, lightly tugging at it with a paw. He adjusted it just enough to see who could possibly be here this early in the morning. 

The woman wore clothes not even an employee would wear to work--a black shirt with striped sleeves, cuffed jeans and boots, and the most unprofessional spiked collar he’d seen in this place. But though her clothes were unfamiliar, the bright rainbow in her hair gave her away. 

It was Vanny. 

But why on earth would she be here of all places? It wasn’t their normal meeting time, so what reason had she to be here now? And why did she wear such strange clothing? They could never allow her to go out on the floor as an employee with that outfit. 

And yet, he couldn’t deny that she looked quite cute in it. 

Glitchtrap flinched the second the thought crossed his mind. What would William say if he knew Glitchtrap had mustered such a thought? He could already feel his voice growling throughout his body, hooking him down and shaming him for it. 

But no voice came. Only his own anxieties about it. 

Now that he considered it, he didn’t feel the old ghost’s presence. There was no gentle hum of extra emotions clashing with his own. No dominant thoughts beating down his own independent ones. No feeling of a thick air suffocating him, cornering him within his own fabric. Just silence and his own independence. 

He continued to watch Vanny for a moment. Should he talk to her? She seemed distant, in her own little world. Her eyes clouded with uncertainty, as if she felt out of place. 

Maybe he shouldn’t. 

Just then, Vanny turned his way, and immediately, they locked eyes. Anxiety pricked at his fur. 

_ Too late to turn back now. _

Vanny jumped backwards, obviously not expecting to see him there. After a moment, however, a smile formed on her lips. It felt… genuine this time. It had been awhile since he’d seen her smile. 

“I swear, every time we see each other, you manage to catch me off guard!” she exclaimed. “It’s like you want to scare me!” 

_ Well, it’s now or never _ , Glitchtrap concluded, attempting to remember how to use his voice box again. 

“Good morning, Vanny.” His voice came out staticky, and a bit ratty. Much different from William’s deep and mellow tone. But it would work. 

“Woah, someone sounds a bit tired.” Vanny’s voice turned playful as she teased, but she quickly changed to a much more professional demeanor. “Good morning to you too, Mr. Afton.” 

_ Mr. Afton.  _

The name rang like a bell in his mind as he repeated it to himself. 

That’s right. He had actually never talked to her one on one like this. Of course she would assume he was William. 

Should he correct her? 

No. The idea of an inhuman entity speaking to her would positively freak her out. Maybe he could try to explain it to her one day. 

But for now, this should do. 

“You’ve arrived quite early, Vanessa,” he spoke as he moved the curtain aside, making his way off stage. His voice still came out choppy, but it was better this time than the first. “And not in uniform.” 

“Ah, yeah,” Vanny agreed awkwardly. “I had nothing better to do so, y’know, I thought I might as well.” 

Her eyebrows furrowed and she refused to meet his gaze as she said this, clearly becoming uncomfortable. 

“I left my costume in my car,” she continued, moving to sit on the shelf of the prize counter. “Even though I arrived pretty early, it’s far too hot out to put it on just yet. Even with the air conditioning in this building!” 

Glitchtrap simply hummed in response, moving to stand beside her at the counter. He crossed his arms, debating if he should move any closer to her. Or maybe he was already too close? Perhaps not. Regardless, no. Here was just fine. He didn’t want to seem like a creep. 

But now came another question. 

Should he continue to speak to her? 

William would be infuriated if he found out. Most certainly, he would put it to an end immediately. Might even try to replace Glitchtrap with someone else. But at the same time… He liked Vanny. And wanted to get to know her better. And William wasn’t here anyways—how would he even find out? 

“Despite my complaints about the heat, you seem to be able to take it quite well.” 

Glitchtrap turned to look at Vanny, who was examining him closely. Suddenly, an unfamiliar wave of self consciousness rushed over him. 

“After all,” a smile formed on her face, “you’re still somehow in costume, and you don’t look even the least bit phased!” 

_ Ah, she must think that I’m William wearing a costume _ , Glitchtrap concluded.  _ I suppose she’s not…  _ entirely _ wrong. _

“Uh, yeah,” Glitchtrap agreed, willing himself to go along with it. “The heat doesn’t bother me, really.” 

“You truly are dedicated to this job, huh?” 

“I suppose you could say that.” 

A strange noise came out of Vanny in response. A sudden huff of air, like a quick but genuine sample of laughter tried to escape her lips. It was… cute. 

Vanny’s eyes started to wander the room, but her clouded gaze lead Glitchtrap to believe she wasn’t truly seeing any of it. Her mind must’ve been wandering, too. He wondered what she may be thinking about. Was it her reason for being her, now, of all times? Was it what’s been going on with her for the past two weeks? He didn’t know. 

He watched her carefully, taking in the sight before him. Her colorful locks of hair landed softly around her face, brushing her shoulders gracefully when she would slightly turn her head. Her eyes, although clouded with thought, still glistened with an emotion he couldn’t quite explain, but he could tell she felt it quite strongly. Her hands grasped the countertop at her sides, anchoring her down as her legs swung to and fro. 

She was quite a sight to take in. 

Suddenly, Vanny turned to look at him. He flinched away, realizing he had been staring. No, he wasn’t staring. Not at all. Just happened to be looking in her general direction. Directly at her. 

“You don’t talk much outside of business, do you?” 

“Ah, no,” he agreed awkwardly. “I suppose not.” 

Vanny snorted, then went silent. After a moment, Glitchtrap heard shuffling, and turned around to see her pulling out a piece of paper. Her smile suddenly faded into a frown as she looked at it. 

“Cole Ruddy, right?” 

Glitchtrap tilted his head, racking his brain for a moment. Where had he heard that name again? 

_ Oh,  _ he realized,  _ that’s William’s next assignment.  _

“Yes, that’s him.” 

A small smile formed on Vanny’s face at the confirmation, but it faded as soon as it came as she continued to examine the photo. 

He began to remember why William chose this kid next—he considered him a brat. A rowdy child who deserved punishment. At a birthday party, all was going so well. That was, until Ruddy had grabbed a chunk out of his pizza and tossed it across the table at another kid, sparking a food fight in the food court. 

Glitchtrap remembered the fury William felt when he decided to pick this child. He was practically fuming; it was so bad, he could feel his own fur start to burn below the surface with rage. 

_ He always seems to pick children over the smallest things,  _ he realized, mulling over the previous children he picked. Jonathan Hudsen for accidentally causing the animatronics to go haywire by tripping on the stage wiring; Heath Rodgers for pulling some dumb prank he couldn’t even remember; Sidney Coin and Darla Smith for fighting over a toy. 

They were quite disruptive, he had to admit; it got annoying at times. But he couldn’t help but remember vividly the laughter he could hear from the food court. The children sounded like they were having a blast, and no matter how annoying, part of him wished he could’ve seen it gone down. 

“He seems like a good kid.” 

Vanny immediately looked up from the photo and locked eyes with him. Hers were wide with shock, as if caught off guard. Her lips twisted into a smirk that wrinkled her nose and the edges of her eyes. 

“Aw, have you gone soft, Mr. Afton?” she cooed teasingly. 

“No!” he backtracked, embarrassment heating his cheeks. “I have  _ not!  _ I was just thinking, ya know, I mean, look at him! I—” 

Glitchtrap was cut off by Vanny chuckling. He stared at her in confusion, unable to form a proper response. It was as if any wiring in his head had become scrambled by her voice alone. 

“I’m teasing you, Mr. Afton,” she smiled. “It just almost sounded to me like you don’t want me to send him off.” 

“No, that, that’s not what I meant. I was just-I was just thinking out loud.” 

Her words repeated in his head, however.  _ Like I don’t want her to send him off. Is that true?  _ No. William had a goal set in mind, and he knew William was right. He had no right to question his maker.  _ But… to kill a kid?  _ Yes. William had a reason for everything he had done, after all. 

“Keep your fur on, Mr. Afton,” Vanny’s voice suddenly grew soft. She paused for a moment. “I’ve wondered the same thing too.” 

_ William would be furious if she said that to him,  _ Glitchtrap noted silently.  _ Should I be? _

“No, no,” Vanny’s voice almost sounded panicked as she continued. “He  _ does  _ deserve this. You’re right, he does seem like such a sweet kid. That’s all the more reason to release him, right? He can be sent off from this cold, unforgiving world, and live peacefully with the other children. I know he’ll be happy with them. I know it.” 

Glitchtrap couldn’t help but feel unsettled by her words. They sounded so  _ forced.  _ Like she was trying to convince _ herself _ more than him. He tried to brush it off and forget she ever said it. But the words couldn’t escape the back of his mind. 

They sat quietly once more, an uncomfortable air having surrounded them.  _ Should I say something?  _ The question invaded Glitchtrap’s mind once more. He figured he already did enough talking today with Vanny; he mustn’t push his luck any farther. And yet, him having spoken to her so much was all the more reason to continue. The damage was already done, so might as well make the most of it, right? 

“So, uh,” an awkward air surrounded Glitchtrap as he searched for words, desperate to initiate the conversation himself for once. “I don’t think you ever really told me why you’re here so early.” 

“Oh,” Vanny grew visibly uncomfortable, suddenly unable to meet his gaze. “You know. Just had some extra time this morning so I thought, hey! Might as well come in, ya know?” 

Her feet tapped loudly on the floor as she quickly jumped down from the counter. Vanny then tapped Glitchtrap on the shoulder, surprising him. 

“Well, the morning shift starts soon—gotta go make sure everything’s set up!” Vanny smiled at him, but still couldn’t meet his eyes. Swiftly, she ran out of the room. “It was nice talking to you, Mr. Afton! See ya soon!” 

And with a wave, she bid him farewell for the day, leaving him alone in the room. 

Glitchtrap’s mind was in a whirl. Why did Vanny seem so uncomfortable talking about coming in so early? And why, at the same time, did she seem to be uncomfortable with her job? Was she doing okay? He shook his head, then head back to the curtains, where he stood alone with his worries and doubts. 

Two days passed since that first conversation, and night had now fallen. Glitchtrap watched as Vanny suddenly stumbled into the room, bumping into chairs like she hadn’t even seen them. As she reached her chair, she put the knife away and sat for a moment, making no effort to remove her mask. Her body was shivering worse than ever before. 

Anxiety sparked in Glitchtraps body like a firecracker. What on earth happened? Was Vanny okay? That was a dumb question—she very obviously was  _ not.  _ But the first question was still yet to be answered.  _ Why  _ wasn’t she okay? 

**_That is none of your concern, Glitchtrap,_** William’s voice boomed in his head. **_The girl is fine._**

_ You’re right, sorry for worrying.  _ No, she most certainly wasn’t  _ fine.  _ But he wasn’t going to argue with William about it. He would know how to handle this properly. 

Vanny took off the mask as Glitchtrap approached, gasping for air as it came off. Her eyes were bright red, as well as her face, and her breathing had grown choppy. Glitchtrap tried to hide it, but he was becoming overwhelm with a feeling of dread.  _ Something happened to her. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.  _

“Everything alright, my dear?” William spoke to Vanny in a calm voice. 

_ Obviously not!  _

“Y-yeah, sorry,” Vanny sniffled, then sat up straight, desperate to hide her feelings. “Just got into a bit of a scuffle with the newest child, sorry. He didn’t exactly seem  _ happy  _ with the plan.” 

“None of them seem to at first,” William agreed. “They don’t fully understand what we’re doing for them. But I assure you, once they reach the heavens, they will realize how much better it is up there, and will be willing to forgive you after finally understanding.” 

Vanny nodded at him, agreeing to his terms. The rest of the meeting went as usual: William reminding Vanny why she’s here, giving her her next assignment, explaining how to go about it, then everyone parting ways. 

Deep into the night, however, Glitchtrap heard voices. He could feel spirits nearby, multiple; but there was no sign of William. Then, who was it? 

He quietly stepped off stage and began to follow the noise. It was coming from behind the prize counter. Stepping closer, the voices suddenly became clear. 

“We’re so sorry she did this to you.” 

“You don’t deserve this.” 

“Don’t worry, you’re not alone.” 

Were those…  _ children?  _

Glitchtrap stepped closer to the prize counter, looking over the ledge. A small crowd of spirits had formed inside, all small and with tears streaking down their faces. They all surrounded one, holding him close. Glitchtrap felt a stab when he recognized the child’s face.

_ Cole Ruddy.  _

As suddenly as he spotted them, the children spotted him, and quickly vanished into thin air. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I promise some different characters will be coming in soon ;)


	3. the fuck's a girl? sounds cool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel come in for her first night on the graveyard shift at the Glamrock Mall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh special thanks to my buddy Kira who gave me the idea for this chapter's title, she's gonna be my chapter title dealer from now on lmao   
> fyi! Hazel is what I'm going to be calling my interpretation of the new teaser girl! I hope y'all like her lmao

The sky was painted with purples and oranges as the sun lightly fell below the horizon. Cicadas and crickets sang their goodnights, ringing throughout the oncoming night. The summer heat became chilled by the evening breeze. 

Hazel stepped out of her car and looked up at the mall. The parking lot was practically vacant, only a few cars left waiting for the last workers to leave. The mall grew dim as the sunlight did, yet its bright colors still seemed to stick out. The lights that normally glowed during the daytime were no more than colorful light bulbs now, having been turned off when the establishment closed for the night. 

Hazel’s eyes landed on the giant logo at the front of the building. It showed four animatronic animals: an alligator, a wolf, a chicken, and a bear. They scored colorful designs and even more colorful instruments. With their bright eyes, she could see why any child would feel excited to be here, yet their (mostly) toothy grins were slightly unnerving. 

Hazel shrugged it off, determined to have a good first night. She wanted to make a good impression with the manager and any coworkers she had, and being  _ unnerved  _ by some silly characters wasn’t exactly the best way to go about it. Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the entrance. 

Immediately upon entry, she was greeted by the animatronics. She was in a hall between stores, but up ahead was the food court. The room was filled with tables covered in colorful cloth, all surrounding a large stage where the four animatronics stood. Giant speakers sat at the sides of the stage, and gates surrounded the area to stop people from getting too close. Despite being inactive, the animatronics still held life, yet again sparking that feeling of unease in Hazel. It almost felt like their eyes were watching her as she got closer. 

_ They’re cute, though, _ she tried to convince herself.  _ I’m sure they seem much more friendly during the day.  _

To her right was an empty food station: there were gates guiding one to follow through a line if there was one; two giant menus in the wall to help one decide what to eat; glass windows with plates on the other side where the food must normally be. To her left was a door with a sign that stated, in bright white letters,  _ EMPLOYEES ONLY.  _ That most certainly must be where she had to go. 

Hazel made her way to the door and carefully pushed it open. Immediately, she was greeted with a smile. 

“Why hello there!” an older man greeted her with bright eyes and brighter cheeks. “You must be Hazel, right? Come in, come in! Do come have a seat with me.” He waved a hand at her, signaling her to come inside. 

“Hey,” Hazel greeted back, closing the door behind her. The man sat at a desk with a computer in front of him. He moved it over so that he could see Hazel better when she sat down in front of him. 

“I hope I’m not too early,” Hazel explained. “I know my shift starts in two hours but I thought it would be nice to have some extra time to get to know the place.” 

“You’re perfectly fine!” the old man chuckled. “Better to be too early than too late, my friend. I’m Mr. Emily, it’s great to meet you.” 

Mr. Emily held out a hand. Hazel reached out her own and shook it firmly. The man’s smile only persisted after this. 

“It’s so great to finally have someone workin’ the night shift,” he explained. “We didn’t have one for a bit—felt like we didn’t need ‘em. Dumb decision, I know!” Mr. Emily let out a bellowing laugh, then continued. “Lately there have been signs of somethin’ strange going on at night. Like someone’s comin’ in after hours and tamperin’ with our stuff. I think you’ll understand when I say that no good can come out of that. So, we needed someone to help us out at night to keep away whatever misfits may be messin’ around after dark. 

“And that’s where you come in, my friend,” he paused to point at her delightedly, nodding his head thankfully. “You will be takin’ over the night shift. Your job here is to prevent anyone from comin’ in and gettin’ up to no good, ya get me? I know this is only your first night, but I know you’ll do positively swell. One of our workers, Vanessa, should be here shortly. She’ll show you the ropes and how to work ‘round this place.” 

Just then, Hazel heard the door behind her creek open. In stepped a girl around her age. She wore a purple suit with white sleeves and a purple bowtie. A bright gold badge labeled “Vanessa” was pinned to the chest of her suit. The most striking thing about her appearance, however, was her streaks of rainbow hair. They were so bright, you certainly wouldn’t miss it. 

“Vanessa, my friend,” Mr. Emily continued to grin as he greeted the incomer. “We were just talkin’ about you! Do come in, I want to introduce you to our newbie. Hazel, this is Vanessa. Vanessa, this is Hazel.” 

Hazel couldn’t help but notice how tired Vanessa appeared to be. Her shoulders were slouched, and she looked like she would fall down at any moment. Her eyes were glossed over, as if she weren’t really seeing what was right in front of her. 

The moment she saw Mr.Emily and Hazel, however, she snapped out of it. 

She blinked quickly, then smiled at both of them, straightening her posture to look proud. Her cool eyes met Hazel’s, no longer glossy. 

“You can just call me Vanny, if you want,” Vanessa winked at Hazel. “Or Ness, that works too. It’s nice to meet you.” As Mr. Emily had done, she held out her hand to Hazel. 

There was something strange about the sudden shift in demeanor. Vanessa seemed like she had seen something quite disturbing shortly before coming in, and was still processing it. Yet, the moment she saw that she wasn’t alone, her attitude completely changed into something more lively. Hazel took her hand and shook it, keeping a careful eye on here. Something felt very off about this girl.

“Nice to meet you as well, Ness.” 

“Well then!” Mr. Emily clapped his hands together, then reached for his keys. “I best be headin’ off for the night. Vanessa, I trust that you will do well in showin’ Hazel the ropes. I’ll see y’all tomorrow, then!” 

And with that, the door clicked shut, leaving Hazel alone with Ness. 

“Right,” Ness turned to Hazel. “So! You work the midnight shift, right?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Nice, that means we got a bit less than two hours to kill before you need to be on the floor. Why don’t I give you a tour of the place then, hm?” She had a playful grin on her face as she suggested this. 

“Why not?” Hazel agreed, then suddenly felt a hand on her wrist as Ness pulled her along, opening the door back to the mall. 

“Right, let’s get to it then, shall we? Wouldn’t wanna miss the animatronics’ big show; they get quite exciting after hours!” 

Hazel couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the joke. Maybe she had misjudged Ness upon first meeting her—she must’ve just had a tiring day at work and was struggling to keep up her own spirits. 

The mall was made up of two floors. The first floor, of course, had the food court, where the children could eat and watch the animatronics. There were all sorts of stores down here, mostly clothes stores. That was pretty much it, however; for being the main floor for the animatronics, it wasn’t very eventful. 

As Hazel and Ness approached the escalators, however, a door caught Hazel’s attention. It was just off to the side, just out of view. It was painted to blend into its surroundings, as if to hide from view in plain sight. There were no labels or signs on this one—its only distinguishing feature was a lock that was also painted to blend in. 

“I don’t think you showed me where that leads,” Hazel mentioned to Ness, pointing at it. “Is that another employee office?” 

For a moment, Ness seemed to panic. Her eyes grew wide, and her lips curled back into a cringe. She quickly blinked and hid her fear, simply coughing and looking away. 

“That room is off limits.” 

“Oh,” Hazel was confused by Ness’ suddenly serious tone. What on earth was in that room? Was there something to hide? Did it have anything to do with the nightly distractions Mr. Emily was talking about? 

“Alright.” Hazel chose not to question it any further, but silently took note of the secret room. Something didn’t seem quite right about it, given Ness’ reaction. 

The second floor had a children’s play area as well as more stores, except they sold toys rather than clothing. There was also a section filled with video games and prizes that children could receive by winning coins from their games. 

Off to the side of the gaming room, there was another door labeled for employees only. This was where Ness stopped and turned to Hazel. 

“Well, this is about where your tour ends,” she explained. “This is the security office that you will be staying in.” Ness grasped the door handle, pulling it open and moving out of the way, signaling Hazel with a hand. “After you.” 

“Thank you,” Hazel nodded, then followed her step. Inside the office was a small desk with a computer and some drawers; a woman sat at the desk, not looking up from the computer. There were three vents in the room: one above her desk, one behind her, and one above her.  _ Must get hot in here pretty fast to have that many,  _ Hazel concluded. 

“Hello, Anna,” Ness waved at the girl, presumably Anna, who simply mumbled a “hello” then turned back to her computer. Ness sighed, then put her hand on Hazel’s shoulder, waving a hand to present her. 

“This is Hazel, she’s our new security guard. She has the afternoon shift as well as the second graveyard shift. Hazel,” she then waved at Anna, “this is Anna, she’s one of our major workers. She mostly helped with our technicians, being the manager of that department, but she decided to help out and take the first graveyard shift.” 

“Hey, Anna,” Hazel waved at Anna, then reached a hand out. “It’s nice to meet you.” 

“Yeah, you too,” Anna looked up at Hazel, looking a bit irritated. She stuck a hand out to shake Hazel’s, but it felt quite forced. 

_ The one time I actually initiate the handshake, and she doesn’t even want to!  _

“Well,” Ness put her hands on her hips, watching Anna get up and head for the door. “Hazel, this is where you’ll be working. The computer Anna is working with right now is our security cameras, built for you to flip from camera to camera to watch over the mall. Here,” she opened one of the drawers to pull out a DVD, then handed it to Hazel, pointing at the computer. “This tape should help you get accustomed to actually working here. Just slap it into the DVD player in the computer and the voice inside should start telling you what you need to do.” 

Hazel looked down to examine the DVD. It was a blank DVD with the words  _ Security Training Audios 1–5  _ crudely written on top. “Thank you,” Hazel said, looking up at Ness. 

“It’s no problem,” she said, following Anna to the door. “I’m sure it’ll be no trouble. I’ll catch you tomorrow, then, and you can let me or Mr. Emily know if you had any issues. Good luck!” 

“Thanks again!” Hazel called out to Ness as she shut the door behind her. 

She sat there for a moment, taking in her surroundings. There were no lights in the room; in fact, aside from the computer, the room was quite dark. The computer, despite being only for the cameras, wasn’t even on them. Instead, it was on a list of names and dates, some with X’s on the sides. 

_ Must be birthday parties or something,  _ Hazel figured, although she found it strange that Anna would be visiting a tab like that during a security guard shift.  _ Maybe it has something to do with her technician work?  _ Hazel shrugged it off, certain that there has to be some sort of logical explanation. She hid the tab then clicked on the cameras to make it larger. 

Then, she remembered the DVD. Quickly, she opened up the DVD tray and placed it inside, waiting for the audio to register. A tab then popped up showing all of the audio tapes she could pick from, all labeled  _ Security Training Audio  _ followed by a number one through five. Deciding it would be best to start from the beginning, Hazel clicked on audio one. 

_ “Hello? Hello, Hello!”  _ the audio started with a man speaking in a high-pitched tone. 

_ Wow,  _ Hazel snorted at the sound,  _ Out of all of the people to create these tapes, you chose  _ this _ guy?  _

The sound of his voice soon became background noise as Hazel began to flip through the cameras. Although her shift only had just begun, there was no sign of activity. Not a single door opened, no banging or yelling, just a sense of peacefulness that was almost boring. 

_ This is gonna be a breeze.  _

_ “...Now the animatronics here do tend to wander a bit.” _

_ What?  _

Hazel froze, eyes suddenly locked on the cameras. Had she heard that right? No, certainly not. She was definitely just making herself paranoid now. Why on earth would the animatronics be moving around? 

But then, when she flipped to the stage camera, she realized that maybe she had heard it right after all. 

Montgomery was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dun!!! cliff hanger time!!! Anna is supposed to be Anna Kwento btw, I know we don't know much about her but I wanted to add another character for purposes I will touch on later and I was reading the emails from FNaF AR and I felt like Anna fit the role I needed! heehee


	4. my boss is a bitch lol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanny is late to her meeting with Afton, and when she arrives, she is suddenly calm. Something feels... wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again to my pal Kira for the title! also I'm sorry if this chapter is poorly written/rushed

Vanny was late. 

She was supposed to come in tonight, but it was now midnight,  _ hours  _ past closing time, and she still hadn’t arrived. 

Maybe she had forgotten? Or maybe he had mixed up the date? He couldn’t tell. He vividly remembered her coming in this morning to alert him that she would be visiting him tonight. 

And yet, there was no sign of her. Was she okay? Did something happen to her again? What if it was more severe this time? 

**_You needn’t worry, Malhare,_ ** William’s voice vibrated within him.  **_I will handle things when she arrives._ **

Just then, the door creaked open. Vanny stepped in, but she was not in costume; instead, she was in a regular work uniform. 

Immediately, Glitchtrap noticed a shift in her attitude. 

Tonight, Vanny walked in as if the past two weeks didn’t happen. She came in calm and quietly, not once stumbling over herself. Although, Glitchtrap noticed that she kept her eyes to the floor as she moved. It was as if she believed it would give way if she looked away for even a second. 

There was no weapon on her. There was no sign of a fight, either. 

_ Did she fail today?  _ He wanted to feel disappointed in her; William’s irritation was already gripping on his own emotions. But, strangely, he felt conflicted instead. He remembered the spirits from the other night and couldn’t help but feel somewhat thankful. 

As Vanny sat down, William stepped Glitchtrap down to greet her. She didn’t even turn to look at him, and instead her eyes stayed glued to the table. She continued to do this as William sat Glitchtrap down, as if she was lost in her own world. 

“Vanny,” William’s voice came out calmly, but Glitchtrap could feel a small fire of rage burning through him. “It’s good to see you. Now, is there a reason that you have come in so late, and not in costume?” 

Vanny stayed frozen for a moment like she didn’t even hear him. William was about to speak again when she finally replied. 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Afton. I got caught up with work before I was able to come in tonight. But, I have handled the child. She is now sent off, just like the rest.” 

“Excellent, my dear,” William’s voice stayed calm now, but there was a slight edge to it. “Well done, getting the job done. However, I must remind you of your true job here. Working as an employee at this establishment is simply your cover up—your real job is the work you do for me here, helping me set these children free. Don’t let your work as an entertainer get in the way, my dear.” 

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” 

“I’m certain it will not.” 

Throughout the rest of the meeting, Glitchtrap watched Vanny’s movements and reactions; not once did she look up at him to address William. As he handed Vanny her next assignment, she froze as she stared down at it, as if it suddenly cleared her mind. 

“Do you think you can handle this?” William spoke, noticing that she seemed to blank at the picture. “You seem a bit shaken, my dear.” 

“Yes, I’ve got this.” 

Vanny nodded her head, then finally looked up, making eye contact for the first time all night. Her eyes were filled with cold determination as a slick grin plastered itself across her face.

“I won’t let you down, Mr. Afton.” 

He should’ve felt reassured. This was the most confident Vanny had looked in weeks. It should’ve been refreshing, a sign that she was doing better. 

But Glitchtrap couldn’t help but remember how hesitant she seemed nights before. How she wondered if this was really even a good thing. He remembered the ghosts he saw later, and the tears streaming down their faces. The pain they seemed to be feeling. Whether or not what Vanny was doing really was right. Whether what  _ he  _ was doing was right.

This change in pace was too sudden. 

Something was  _ wrong.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this chapter is so short! this chapter was mainly made to establish how Vanny is handling being in the cult. also, it might be a bit before the next chapter comes out bc I want to do some more planning into the story before I continue, but I promise I'll try to finish it as soon as possible!


	5. found out what a girl is. very cool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel finds out that the night shift is going to be a lot more active than she ever expected. She also encounters a character she never heard of from this establishment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tis chapter was fun but also difficult bc I had to figure out how to go about handling the character mechanics and how they could possibly work but I think it turned out okay!! ya

Yeah, no, she wasn’t going to stick around to see where this goes. 

Grabbing her flashlight, Hazel ran to the door and bolted through the hall. 

Despite her fear, she couldn’t help but feel enraged at the same time. Why had no one warned her beforehand that these things  _ moved?  _ They  _ had  _ to be aware of this; if they weren’t, then why would they mention it in the tapes? Regardless, there had to be some form of law that made this illegal. She could die! And on her first night at the job, no less! 

Mr. Emily would definitely be mad about her calling it quits only minutes in, but for goodness sake, there were animatronics after her! She’d rather be fired than stay in this building for another second and run the risk of getting killed. 

Hazel froze in her tracks as she made her way closer to the exit. 

Two glowing red eyes landed on her, owned by a figure taller than any human she’d ever seen. They stared at each other for a moment. Hazel was unsure what to do; the figure blocked her only exit. Maybe if she ran quick enough, she could catch it off guard and get around it? 

With a loud  _ clang,  _ the animatronic stepped closer. 

Never mind. She wasn’t taking her chances facing off this  _ thing.  _

Unfortunately, she needed the money from this job anyway. 

Hazel swiftly turned around and fled back towards the office. As she reached it, she clicked through the cameras to find out who that was. When she finally found him, the green, plastic scales and bright-red mohawk gave away what she already assumed: the character she encountered was none other than the missing gator. 

At least she knew where one of them was. 

Deciding to check on the others, she noted that Roxanne was also gone. Great. 

Hazel quickly shut her door and went to close all vents when she noticed an error. She was only able to shut one vent at a time, which meant that she had to choose carefully which vent had to be shut at any given time. 

So, then, which vent should she shut for now? 

Flipping through the cameras, she noted that none of the animatronics were close enough for her to really close one of them. She would deal with that later, then, when things got more serious. 

After a moment of checking her surroundings through the cameras, she heard a  _ clang  _ from the door. She turned to find that it had opened back up. 

Hazel huffed in irritation.  _ Must every way of keeping myself safe have a downside?  _ she thought angrily. 

Hazel scooted her chair closer to the door to inspect it when two glowing dots caught her attention again. 

It was Monty. He stood only yards away from her door, staring her down. 

Hazel froze. Should she shut the door now? What if he wasn’t going to do anything? Maybe she should wait? 

Immediately, she was met with an answer. The alligator suddenly began charging in her direction, metal feet banging on the ground below him. 

Hazel wasted no time shutting the door. Only seconds after the door shut, a loud  _ crash  _ could be heard as Monty flew against the door. She stared at the door for a second, unsure if she should open it back up or not. 

The door decided for her, as it once again opened up. But this time, there was no sign of Monty. He had vanished. 

_ That was close!  _ Hazel thought, letting out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. 

Metal scraping caught her attention. She turned around to see a white muzzle poking through the vent above her. 

Roxanne was in. 

Hazel jumped back, unsure what to do. It was too late to close the vent now; Roxanne landed on the floor before her, standing tall over her. Her teeth glistened in the dim light of the computer, emphasizing their sharpness. 

Hazel was at a loss on what to do. It was too late to keep her out, obviously; but she had no way of defending herself. But, there was something else she could do.

_ Run!  _

Adrenaline pumping, Hazel prepared herself to flee the scene when movement caught her eye. A white blur shot through another vent, heading directly for Roxanne. 

It was a rabbit, a character Hazel had never seen before. 

The rabbit pounced on Roxanne, knocking her to the floor. They then grabbed a bat that had fallen to the floor with them and swung it at the wolf. 

“Let’s dance!” the robot announced, possibly a line from the daily shows. She stood up, only for the rabbit to swing at her again. 

“Get outta here!” she hollered, coaxing the wolf out the door with each swing. Once she was finally out, the rabbit punched the door button, causing it to shut in Roxanne’s face. 

Hazel gawked at her, stunned. Who  _ is  _ she? She’s clearly not an ordinary animatronic; active though they were, none of them seemed to be quite as sentient, or at least enough to ward one of themselves off from the guard. Plus, her appearance seemed more like that of a costume than an actual animatronic. The material looked more movable, and softer than their plastic exteriors. 

_ Is there a human behind the mask?  _

The white bunny turned to look at her. Suddenly, she let out a loud laugh. 

“You should really pay more attention, honey!” 

Before Hazel could even ask what was up, the rabbit ruffled her hair and climbed into the vent she had come from. 

Hazel stared up at where she escaped. 

Who on earth  _ was  _ that? Why did she save her? And why did her voice sound so damn familiar? 

A sudden clang brought her back to her senses as the door opened back up. 

Right. She had a job to do. She could worry about who the hell that bunny lady was at a later time. She had other characters to worry about. 

Hazel sat back down in her desk, eyes focused on the cameras, watching every move the animatronics made. She most certainly would not let an accident like that happen again. 

The rest of the night was fairly easy. She finally fell into a rhythm where she knew every animatronic’s move and how to prevent them from getting in. By the time the 6am alarm rang, Hazel was a mix of feelings: confused, relieved, irritated, but most of all—tired. It had definitely been a long night. 

And a long night meant she needed a long nap. Hazel left the mall and headed for her car, certainly ready to head home and sleep until who knows when. 

She didn’t know what the hell was up with those animatronics or why they moved around so much at night, but she did know one thing. 

Tonight, she would come back prepared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh shit!!!! I wonder who the new character is!!!!!!!! jk I'm pretty sure we all know who it is lmaoooo


	6. I don't remember inviting you to my slumber party Bethany

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When things go bump in the night, Glitchtrap can't help but wonder why. However, he will soon get his answer, as he finds an unexpected guest dozing off in his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh sorry it's been so long since I last updated!! college has destroyed my motivation,, and time. but! luckily I'm actually really close to being done with the summary I use to guide myself writing this, so that's fun!!!! I've been debating if I should finish writing this if I don't get it done before Security Breach's release,, I might continue but idk. I'm hoping I will! enough w my rambling though; I hope you enjoy this chapter!!

_ What on earth happened last night?  _

As Glitchtrap stood in wait behind the curtain, he recalled hearing bumps and creaks all around the mall in the night. It sounded as if the animatronics had been wandering around; the footsteps he heard were quite heavy, too heavy for a human. But that wouldn’t make sense—they always shut the animatronics down after closing hours. They had no reason to move around. 

Unless, that is, they had been tampered with. 

Was someone else here last night after Vanny had left? They don’t normally have people here after hours, unless, of course, it was Anna or Vanny doing William’s bidding. 

Come to think of it, Vanny arrived quite late last night. 

Come to think of it, he could’ve sworn he saw Anna at one point, too. 

Perhaps one or even both of them messed with the animatronics. But  _ why?  _

A soft rumbling sound broke through Glitchtrap’s thoughts. It sounded like breathing, but a bit ragged. Yet, it was rhythmic; not that of someone who had been struggling, but it sounded more relaxed. 

Gently, he tugged at the curtain to push it aside. What he saw inside his room caught him by surprise. 

There, at one of the tables, was Vanny. She was in full costume, with the exception of the head that lay on the table next to her own. She slept peacefully on the table, unaware of his presence. 

_ What is she doing here?  _

Carefully, Glitchtrap made his way off of his stage to approach her. His eyes flitted around the room in search of anyone else, but there was no one. Vanny was the only one here. 

The one question that lingered in his mind began to spark others.  _ What do I do? Should I wake her up? Let her sleep? Is she okay? _

He watched her through curious eyes. Her hair was messy from being inside the mask for so long and the lack of care afterwards. Her eyes were ringed with exhaustion, and at that moment he was glad he didn’t wake her up. 

Despite how tired she looked, he couldn’t help but noticed how lovely she was. The bright rainbow in her hair seemed to make her glow, and a soft smile seemed to curl her lips in sleep. What was she dreaming about? 

He looked around the room once more in confusion. What should he do now? Obviously, let her rest; she clearly needs it. But should he try to make her more comfortable? She didn’t  _ look  _ very comfortable. But what  _ would  _ make her comfortable? 

In the midst of his thinking, a sigh interrupted him this time. Glitchtrap turned back to find Vanny stirring. Her eyes were open, but glossed over from drowsiness. She sat up slowly, letting her limbs readjust to the waking world as she stretched. A silent yawn then escaped her lips, caught off by a startled stare as she finally spotted Glitchtrap. 

“Uh, hi,” he awkwardly greeted her, still unsure what to do, even now. 

“Hi?” It was more of a question than a response as Vanny began to take in her surroundings. She then looked over herself, noticing the costume, then slumped in her chair. 

“I must’ve stayed back too late last night, my bad. Sorry Mr. Afton.” 

“That’s alright,” Glitchtrap reassured her, although one question still gnawed at the back of his brain. He just had to ask. 

“But, why were you here in the first place?” 

“Had to take care of some business,” Vanny briefly explained. She paused, but before Glitchtrap could ask, she elaborated. “Mr. Emily knows that something ‘fishy’ has been going on after hours now, so he hired a security guard. But don’t you worry about a thing, Mr. Afton.” Vanny flashed him a confident grin, one full of energy as if she had not just been asleep only minutes ago. “I’ve got it taken care of.” 

“Oh.”  _ That must’ve been why I heard bumping in the night!  _ “Very well, thank you. That was smart thinking.” 

Vanny’s grin only grew at the compliment, making the dull room a little brighter. “I thought so too. The guard was really rusty getting used to the animatronics walking around—turning them on free-roaming mode was Anna’s idea, I gotta give her credit for that one. The poor girl was almost killed by Roxy! I had to swoop in and save her, then.” 

“Well done, Vanny. But if you already had the animatronics, why didn’t you just leave it to them? You could’ve gotten some rest instead.” 

“Well,” Vanny scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, uncomfortable with the question. “You know… I didn’t want them to  _ kill  _ her, I just wanted to make sure she was distracted. Someone needed to protect her, and maybe scare her out of the job.” 

“I suppose,” Glitchtrap couldn’t help but notice that Vanny once again seemed to be avoiding going home again. Was something wrong? “Well, that was good thinking, but really, you should get some rest.” 

“Aww, Mr. Afton,” there was worry behind Vanny’s eyes, he could see that clearly; but she smiled playfully, standing up to softly punch his arm. “Do you actually care about me? How sweet.” 

“H-hey, it’s not a big deal!” Glitchtrap felt his circuits heating up with embarrassment, but tried to ignore it. “I just want to make sure my, er,  _ helpers  _ are doing  _ fine,  _ that’s all. Don’t read too much into it.” 

“Whatever you say, bunny-boy.” 

“Hey!” Glitchtrap’s circuits were practically burning now, especially from such a nickname. How dare this cute lady call him such a thing? The  _ nerve!  _ “Th-that’s enough!” 

“Alright, alright,” Vanny’s face grew red as she struggled to hold back a giggle. “Chill out, sir. I’m just messing with ya.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Glitchtrap tried to stay angry with her; he felt humiliated in a way, almost vulnerable. But the way her face scrunched up and grew red as she stifled a laugh, how her eyes shone with amusement, the soft snickering that threatened to break into laughter as she teased him… 

Maybe a little humiliation was worth it to see her like this. 

“Well,” Vanny spoke, reaching for her suit’s head, “I think you’re right about me needing some rest. That nap certainly wasn’t enough… and I need to be ready for the afternoon shift. I almost feel bad for that poor security guard, but I’m sure she won’t be coming back anytime soon! See ya, Mr. Afton!” 

Glitchtrap waved goodbye as she headed for the door. As she reached it, he couldn’t help but notice how she hesitated as she reached for the knob. But, after a moment, she gripped it and swung the door open, leaving without looking back. 

_ Why did she hesitate?  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not me projecting through Glitchtrp w half this chapter oop  
> sorry this chapter was kinda short!! I'm hoping to get the next one out soon!


	7. work is fuckin hell and my coworkers are assholes but my possible gf is <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel tries to report her concerns about the animatronics. However, only one of her coworkers will listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh hello!!! I'm sorry I take so long to get chapters out,, after the figurine release happened I once again began to debate whether I should continue to write this bc turns out! the SG and Vanny might be the same person! but for now I still plan to work on this anyways. I will still be referring to the SG as Hazel in this btw! enjoy!

She shouldn’t have come back, not even for the afternoon shift. That much she did know. 

And yet, here she was. 

With an irritated huff, Hazel tore the front door open and entered the mall. She tried her hardest to ignore the animatronics as she passed by, but she couldn’t help but let them catch her eye. 

Their bright, friendly smiles were such a strange contrast to how their teeth glistened with malice at night. They now seemed warm and inviting, true friends to the children who looked on at them in admiration. Yet, last night, they seemed so cold and cruel, ready to tear Hazel to shreds at the first chance they got. It was so odd. 

As she passed, Hazel spotted another character: the patchy white rabbit who saved her last night. Watching her movements only confirmed her thoughts from the night—there was most definitely a human in that costume rather than an animatronic. Her movements were so smooth, and she actually interacted with the children, unlike the lifeless animatronics. 

_ No wonder she was the only one who actually wanted to help me last night.  _

The rabbit suddenly looked up and seemed to catch Hazel’s eye. The two stared for a second when Hazel realized she didn’t actually thank her last night. Now of course still wasn’t the best time, but she should at least try. 

Hazel gave the person behind the mask a quick nod and a silent “thank you,” then continued on her way to the office. As she entered, she was quickly alerted that she’s not alone. A few feet away, Anna was at her locker, starting intently at a piece of paper before quickly shoving it into her bag, eyes snapping up to Hazel. 

“What are you up to?” Hazel questioned, curious of what she seemed to be hiding. 

“Nothing that you should be concerned about.” Anna retorted, zipping her bag shut. 

_ Oh, she’s definitely up to something.  _

“What are you doing here?” Anna’s full attention was suddenly on Hazel as her eyes narrowed with suspicion. 

“I’m here for the afternoon shift,” Hazel explained, squinting right back at her. “Why are you?” 

“Technician stuff.” 

There was an edge to her tone, as if she dared Hazel to further question her. Clearly, Hazel came in at the wrong time, and had almost witnessed something Anna wanted to hide. But what was it? What could she be hiding that she had to be so defensive about? 

Before Hazel could further question Anna, the door suddenly creaked, and she turned to see Mr. Emily. His grin grew brighter, if it was even possible, when his eyes landed on her. 

“Hazel, my friend, welcome back! Tell me, how did last night’s shift go, huh? You weren’t given no trouble by some trouble-makin’ teens, were ya?” 

Mr. Emily let out a bellow of a laugh, and for a moment, Hazel forgot her worries. Then, she spotted Anna; as soon as Mr. Emily entered, she snuck out of the room, as if to avoid any further conversation with Hazel. 

_ That weasel got away scot-free!  _

But, now was no time to dwell on that. She would handle that at the next opportunity she got. She met Mr. Emily’s gaze with the friendliest smile she could manage, despite her concerns. 

“It went quite well. Although,” she pondered over how to explain the situation with the animatronics, “there seemed to be some sort of technological issues with the animatronics last night.” 

“Ya don’t say!” Mr. Emily was shocked, then his brows furrowed in concern. “What sort of technological issues?” 

“Well, they tended to… wander. Around the mall.” 

“How strange! I’ll have to bring that up with Anna the next time I see her and see what she can do. In the meantime though, I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.” Mr. Emily patted Hazel on her shoulder, walking past her to grab what he had come in for. “Those things are harmless. They can be a bit of a scare at times, maybe, but we’ve never had an issue with them, so you should be fine. Besides!” Mr. Emily began to chuckle, now back at the door. “Even if they were a threat, that only means we have more security for this place at night! You’ll do fine! See you ‘round!” 

“Wait, Mr. Emily—” 

It was no use. With a slam of the door, the manager was gone. 

Of  _ course  _ he wouldn’t listen to her concerns; he doesn’t want to lose an employee, after all. 

Hazel growled under her breath and kicked the floor. Not only was the technician  _ clearly  _ hiding something serious, but now her manager wouldn’t even hear her concerns about the animatronics! This was so  _ unfair!  _

Hazel went to take her bag and put it into her locker. Checking her watch, she noticed that it was almost three in the afternoon; time for her shift to start. She had no time to linger in her frustrations. She had a job to do. 

As she stepped out of the office into the mall, she began to examine her surroundings in an attempt to recognize where each of the animatronics had wandered. They seemed to have a calculated path, but she hadn’t yet caught onto it. Although, she did remember once seeing Roxanne heading from the food court to the stairs, but she didn’t once see Monty near the stairs. Maybe—

“Hey, give me back my plushie!” 

“My son won this fair and square, you snotty brat!” 

Ah, right. Calculating her enemy’s movements wasn’t the only reason she was here. 

“Ma’am, please step away from the child.” 

The clock struck 8:00pm. Finally closing time. 

Hazel dragged herself into the office, drained from work. She  _ knew _ she should have slept longer this morning; but she couldn’t stop thinking about those damn animatronics. Tired though she was, she just  _ had  _ to know what was going on with them. She hoped she would find out more about them in the afternoon shift, but now she knew as much as she did when the shift began. Great. 

As Hazel removed her things from her locker, the door opened again. It was Ness. 

She seemed even more tired than yesterday, which was really saying something. Yet, the moment she locked eyes with Hazel, she seemed to brighten. Was that mischief she glimpsed in her eyes? 

“Hey, Hazel!” her voice was lively. “Fancy seeing you here at this time. What are you doing here?” 

“Oh, I’m just getting ready to leave the afternoon shift.” 

“Oh, that’s right!” Ness dramatically pushed her forehead with her palm, as if to say “Duh!” “I forgot you had both shifts. How did last night go, by the way?” 

“Well,” Hazel paused, debating what she should say. Mr. Emily didn’t listen to a word she said, so what was the point in telling a coworker? What could she even do? Then again, a coworker would likely be more understanding than a manager, plus Ness seemed to be more open to discussion. 

“I’ll be honest with you, Ness: it was awful. The animatronics were roaming the place, and I swear they were out to get me! They kept trying to get in, and one of them even did! The only reason I survived was because some patchwork bunny came in and kicked its ass.” 

“Really?” Ness stared at her in awe, but there seemed to almost be a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. Odd. “That’s so strange, I never knew they behaved in such a way at night. And the bunny you mention… peculiar, isn’t it? That she would just drop in like that out of nowhere to save you.” 

_ “She”?  _ Hazel noted silently.  _ I never even referred to the bunny by any pronouns, yet she referred to it as if she knew the character herself… Maybe she knows the actor who wears the costume? _

“Yeah,” Hazel agreed, eyeing Ness for a moment. “It was very strange. Say, do you know the actor who wears the costume?” 

“We’ve met once or twice,” Ness confirmed, winking. “As someone who works here on the regular, I’m quite familiar with my coworkers.” 

“Oh, alright.”  _ I should have known!  _ “Say, would you mind thanking them for me? That may sound silly, and, who knows, maybe it wasn’t even that actor, but I’d really appreciate it.” 

“Sure thing! I’ll let her know next time we meet.” Once again, Ness winked, then passed Hazel to get to her stuff. “Although, I’m very sorry about the animatronics hunting you last night. That’s not even an issue you should have to face.” 

“It’s alright, I guess.”  _ Not really.  _ “I think if I can just prepare myself for the future I’ll be fine.” 

“But you shouldn’t have to,” Ness continued. Was that a hint of worry in her tone? “It’s just not safe. Why don’t you stick to the afternoon shift? You’ll still get paid, and won’t have to put yourself in danger.” 

“Your concern is very kind, Vanessa.” Hazel felt herself softening at Ness’ concerns. They barely knew each other, yet Ness already cared about her enough to try to save her like this. But, although she may have been right about her safety, she had a reason to come in for this shift. “But I’m afraid I’m gonna have to keep the shift. I just really need the money, you know?” 

“I…” Ness quickly turned to look at her, worry furrowing her brows deeply. “I understand. Good luck, and stay safe. Let me know if you need anything.” 

“Thank you.” Hazel looked at Ness through soft eyes, confused by how much she cared, but flattered by it at the same time. “Hey, I’m going to stop by the library before I head home, would you care to join me?” 

Ness looked taken aback by the offer, as if the last thing she expected was such an offer in return for her concern. She seemed to consider it, as if the idea sounded nice, but she was quick to wave a hand in response. 

“I’m sorry, I’ve already got plans for the night.” Ness headed for the door, almost seeming upset. But, she then turned and gave Hazel her third wink of the night. “Try to catch me some other time though and we’ll see what happens.” 

And with that, she left, leaving Hazel to get ready to leave as well. 

_ Oh, god.  _

As Hazel approached her apartment, she could already see the white paper that stuck to her door. Her stomach turned, anxious to read what it said. Gently, she removed the paper from her door, shoving it in her pocket to read when she was settled in. 

Her worries subsided for a moment when a loud meow greeted her as the door creaked open. On her couch stood a gray and white cat, tail tall and ears perked.    
“Hello, Sniffles,” Hazel smiled, making her way towards the couch. She tried to avert her eyes from the messy room and focus on the cat only. Yet, the many moving boxes, emptied and full, that filled the room could not escape her eyes. 

_ God, I need to figure out what to do with those for now.  _

As she sat on the couch, she let her worries melt away as Sniffles purred, rubbing his face into Hazel’s blond hair. He cried out again, then began to chew on Hazel’s hair. 

“Okay, you big furball!” Hazel chuckled, turning to grab the cat and place him in her lap. She let her fingers rub against his soft fur, feeling the soft rumble of his purring beat against her palm. 

Hazel remembered the note in her pocket and quickly pulled it out to read it. She felt a snake of anxiety wriggle in her stomach as her eyes examined the text. 

The bill read that she had $200 due by the end of the week. If she could not pay that, she must move out by the end of the following week, or else she would be removed by force. 

Hazel felt tears welling in her eyes as she laid back on the couch. Blurry eyes met with the ceiling, yet she could not see a thing. She felt her body shaking, and she knew it was no longer from the vibrations of the feline purring in her lap, oblivious to the danger they were in. 

_ Please,  _ she silently begged, knowing her prayers would fall on deaf ears.  _ Just give me a little more time.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes! that's kind of upsetting
> 
> anyways this semester is almost over so hopefully when it ends I'll be writing more often but who knows I have a tendency to say "I'll be writing more often" then end up posting like months later lmao


	8. my coworker forgot about the cute security guard???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> William calls Vanny in to discuss important matters, however, Vanny is left confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wheeeeeee two chapters in one day!!!

Gentle snoring was the only sound to fill the room. 

Behind the curtain, Glitchtrap peaked out to find Vanny sitting at the same desk as usual. Her face was buried in her arms, and her rainbow locks covered what her arms did not. It was a soothing sight to see her resting so peacefully. 

Perhaps, he should leave her be. She needed this rest, after all. 

**_Nonsense,_ ** William’s voice echoed through his mind.  **_She can rest on her own time. We have important matters to discuss._ **

Glitchtrap tried to hold his irritation down as William made him push the curtains aside and step towards Vanny. She woke up almost immediately, hearing his hard steps on the floor. At first, her face was filled with confusion. Then, she locked eyes with William and himself, and smiled. 

“Good evening, Mr. Afton,” she greeted, holding back a yawn. “Sorry for falling asleep, I’ve just been so tired.” 

“I can imagine,” William agreed, taking the chair in front of her to sit Glitchtrap down. “Seems you’ve been quite busy lately. You’re doing excellent work, my dear.” 

“Thank you,” Vanny then sat up, filled with pride. “So, what is this meeting about again? Anna gave me the note to come in tonight, but I couldn’t wrap my head around why. I’m afraid I haven’t been able to finish my next assignment, sir.” 

“No worries, my dear. That’s not what this meeting is about. I’m sure you’ve heard about the new security guard the mall has hired?” 

“Yes, sir.” Vanny tilted her head slightly, raising a brow as he continued on. Something told Glitchtrap this wasn’t gonna go too well. 

“Good, good. Now, I’m sure you’re also aware that she is likely to… disrupt things. I want you to keep a close eye on her, as well as distract her so that she doesn’t see what’s going on behind the scenes. You could use your suit as a disguise so she doesn’t know it’s you. I have full faith in you, Vanessa, and I trust that you will be able to do the job properly.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Afton. It’s good to know that you believe in me.” Vanny smiled, but her smile quickly faded into a frown as she squinted her eyes. “But… didn’t we already discuss this this morning?” 

_ Fuck.  _

“This morning?” William questioned, and suddenly Glitchtrap could feel his brainwaves being tampered with by the old ghost. 

_ This morning? How strange! I was resting all morning, waiting for your arrival, sir. This is very strange, strange indeed. Must’ve talked to someone else or something of the sort.  _

“Perhaps you just told Anna, or someone else involved with our work about it, and mixed it up for me.” Glitchtrap felt his circuits cool in relief as William fell for his fake confusion. 

“Are you sure?” Vanny pushed on. “I could have sworn—” 

“I’m certain, my dear. But regardless, the important thing is that we are both aware of this kink in our work and you will deal with it properly.” 

“Right.” Vanny began to eye Glitchtrap suspiciously, but stopped questioning him. “Okay. Will do, sir.” 

“I am certain you won’t disappoint. Remember to carry on with your duties without missing a beat—just please be mindful of the new fly on the wall.” 

“Will do, Mr. Afton.” 

With that, Vanny left the scene, and shortly after, Glitchtrap felt William evacuate his body, leaving Glitchtrap alone to inhabit it himself. 

_ That was a close one!  _ Glitchtrap thought, now realizing just how cautious he has to be of Vanny. 

Seeing as there was nothing else to do now, Glitchtrap made his way back up to the stage. He closed the curtain, letting the night settle in. 

“I can’t believe this!” 

A whispering shout caught Glitchtrap’s attention later into the night. What was going on? 

“We had our chance and we still can’t escape her!” 

Was that the spirits? Quickly, Glitchtrap opened the curtain to find them. He could remember their tear-streaked faces as they cried in death, desperate for something better. 

“We have to get to whoever is in that room. Maybe they could help us!” 

“But how are we supposed to do that? They keep closing the doors on the animatronics, and the bunny lady attacks us if we get too close.” 

Glitchtrap felt his wiring grow jumbled in a sickening way. What were they plotting? Why did they need to get to the guard? 

“We have to try. If we can get them to find out about us, they could stop the bunny once and for all, and set us free!” 

A faint sobbing stopped the spirits in their tracks. A voice began to speak softly, although Glitchtrap couldn’t make out what they were saying. 

“I just w-want to go h-home,” the sobbing voice cracked, and Glitchtrap felt as if one of his wires snapped. 

_ This is all my fault.  _

“Shhh, it’s okay. We’ll get out of here soon.” 

_ If only William hadn’t made me. If only he didn’t use me to make Vanny do his bidding.  _

“We just have to be patient.” 

_ I have to put an end to this.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like these chapters are really short oops,, but yeah! seems like my motivation may be returning yeeee

**Author's Note:**

> well, this is gonna be an interesting ride. I've already started on chapter 2 so hopefully that should be out soon!


End file.
